General Food Law Regulation

The General Food Law Regulation¹, established in Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, establishes the overarching legal framework for food and feed law in the European Union. It defines the fundamental principles, requirements, and procedures underpinning EU food safety policy, with the dual objective of ensuring a high level of protection of human health and consumer interests and safeguarding the smooth functioning of the internal market.

The regulation provides core definitions applicable throughout the food chain, including a broad definition of food as any substance or product intended or reasonably expected to be ingested by humans. It clarifies key operational concepts such as the responsibility of food business operators for compliance and the meaning of placing food on the market.

The General Food Law also establishes the horizontal principles and mechanisms that shape the EU’s risk-based approach to food safety, including import compliance requirements, transparency obligations, the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF)², and general crisis management planning. Institutional support is provided through the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food, and Feed (PAFF Committees)³, which assists the European Commission in adopting and implementing emergency measures.

Alignment with the General Food Law Regulation is required under Negotiation Chapter 12 (Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Policy) and is a step towards EU accession.